Timothy Bradley’s controversial win over
Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas will be investigated, announced World Boxing Organisation president Francisco Valcarcel.

Close call: Pacquiao was controversially ruled to have lost his fight with Bradley (Picture: AFP/Getty)

American Bradley claimed the bout via a split decision with two judges awarding him 115-113 and a third scoring 115-113 for Pacquiao, despite widespread opinion that the Filipino was a clear winner.

Bob Arum, the veteran promoter of both fighters, called for an inquest after the fight, and the WBO have confirmed they will now investigate.

In a statement on the WBO’s website, Valcarcel said: ‘(The WBO), through its Championships Committee, will evaluate the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley, which ended in a controversial result.

‘(The Championships Committee) will meet soon and examine the video of the fight with five renowned international judges, and according to what is found, it will make its recommendation in accordance with the rules.’

The obvious conclusion of the WBO’s probe would be to order an immediate rematch, although Pacquaio already has a rematch clause in his contract.

Duane Ford, one of the two judges who gave the fight to Bradley, vehemently defended his decision, and told the Las Vegas Review Journal: ‘I thought Bradley gave Pacquiao a boxing lesson. Pacquiao missed a lot of punches and I thought he was throwing wildly.’